Power operated window regulator mechanism

ABSTRACT

A window regulator mechanism for raising and lowering adjacent movable sections of a divided window panel. The window mechanism comprises an elongated mounting plate having a pair of gear sectors rotatably superposed on a common pivot shaft journalled in the mounting plate intermediate the ends of the latter. Each gear sector has a regulator arm fixed thereto adapted to be coupled to one of the window panel sections. Independent reduction gear units are located at opposite ends of the mounting plate, each coupled to a respective gear sector. A cable drive means couples each reduction gear unit to an electric drive motor, each drive motor being independently operable to rotate the gear sectors to swing the regulator arms in window panel section lowering or raising direction.

United States Patent Ladd et al.

POWER OPERATED WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM Inventors: Floyd N. Ladd,Warren; Marcel R.

Raveschot, Allen Park; Donald G. Stacy, Plymouth, all of Mich.

Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Mich.

Filed: May 28, 1974 Appl. No.: 473,864

Assignee:

US. Cl 74/435; 49/349 Int. Cl. F16H 55/04 Field of Search 74/435, 665 B,661; 64/2;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary ExaminerSamuel ScottAssistant Examiner-Wesley S. Ratliff, Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or FirmJohn J. Roethel; Keith L. Zerschling [5 7ABSTRACT A window regulator mechanism for raising and lowering adjacentmovable sections of a divided window panel. The window mechanismcomprises an elongated mounting plate having a pair of gear sectorsrotatably superposed on a common pivot shaft journalled in the mountingplate intermediate the ends of the latter. Each gear sector has aregulator arm fixed thereto adapted to be coupled to one of the windowpanel sections. Independent reduction gear units are located at oppositeends of the mounting plate, each coupled to a respective gear sector. Acable drive means couples each reduction gear unit to an electric drivemotor, each drive motor being independently operable to rotate the gearsectors to swing the regulator arms in window panel section lowering orraising direction.

U. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,926,066

" US. Patent Dec. 16,1975 Sh6t20f2 POWER OPERATED WINDOW REGULATORMECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION U.S. Pat. No. 1,770,747 issuedJuly 15, 1930 to William D. Crowell discloses a vehicle ventilationsystem in which the front door window panels are divided intoindependently movable sections. The forward, somewhat smaller, sectionmay be lowered, if desired, to provide a desired amount of ventilationor exhaust opening without necessitating movement of the larger,rearward, panel. In the Crowell disclosure, each window panel section isoperable by a separate window regulator mechanism U.S. Pat. No.3,659,381 issued May 2, 1972 to S. M. Frey et al. discloses a modernizedversion of the Crowell system. In the Frey et a1 system a single windowregulator mechanism is utilized to lower or raise the two window panelsections. Movement of the two sec tions from a fully raised to a fullylowered position or vice-versa is always sequential. That is, from afully raised position the ventilation or exhaust section must be firstfully lowered before the main or large panel section may be lowered.Conversely, from the fully lowered position the large panel must befully raised before upward movement of the ventilation or exhaust systemcan occur. On occasion, the sequential movement system may beobjectionable. At times it may be desired to lower the main panelsection without lowering the ventilation section or without having towait for the ventilation section to complete its downward movement.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a dualfunction power operated window regulator mechanism constructed andarranged to be operable to move either section of the window panel inraised or lowered direction independently of the other section. This isthe principal of operation of the Crowell disclosure, but it is anobject of the present invention to accomplish this without having toutilize two separate and wholly independent regulator mechamsms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a poweroperated window regulator mechanism for raising and lowering adjacentmovable sections of a divided window panel. The window regulatormechanism comprises an elongated mounting plate having a pair of gearsectors rotatably superposed on a common pivot shaft joumalled in themounting plate intermediate the end of the latter. Each gear sectorcarries a fixed regulator arm adapted to be coupled to one of the windowpanel sections. Independent reduction gear units are located at oppositeends of the mounting plate, each coupled to a respective gear sector. Acable drive means couples each reduction gear unit to an electric drivemotor, each drive motor being independently operable to rotate the gearsector to swing the regulator arms in window panel lowering or raisingdirection.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other objects, advantages and features of thepresent invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds,reference being had to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the power operated window regulating mechanismembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation, in part sectional, of regulatormounting plate supporting the drive motors, the reduction gear units andthe drive cables coupling the drive motors to the gear units, viewed inthe direction of the arrows 2-2 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings,there is illustrated a window regulator mechanism, generally designated10. The window regulator mechanism is adapted to lower or raise a windowpanel into or out of a window well of a vehicle door. The window panelis of the type that is divided into two adjacent movable sections, asexemplified in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,381, see FIG. 1 ofthe patent.

The window regulator mechanism 10 comprises an elongated mounting plate11 carrying a pivot shaft 12 joumalled in a conventional manner in themounting plate intermediate the ends of the latter. The mounting plate11 is provided with tabs 13 having bolt receiving holes 14 for securingthe plate to a door inner panel (not shown) of a vehicle body.

A first gear sector 15 is freely rotatably mounted on the pivot shaft12. A first regulator arm 16 is fixed to the gear sector 15 and isadapted to be coupled at its free end 17 to one movable panel section ofa divided window panel. The arm 16 would be coupled to the ventilationsection of the window panel, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,381.i

A second gear sector 18 somewhat larger than the gear sector 15 ismounted on the pivot shaft 12 in superimposed relation to thefirst gearsector 15 and the end of the regulator arm fixed to the latter. A secondregulator arm 19 is fixed to the gear sector 18. The free end 21 of arm19 is adapted to be coupled to the second panel section of the dividedwindow panel. The second gear sector 18 is keyed to the pivot shaft 12so that rotation of the gear sector causes turning movement of the pivotshaft. The pivot shaft 12 also is coupled to the inner end 22 of aspiral regulator spring 23, the free end 24 of the spring being hookedto a lug 25 turned out of the mounting plate 11. The spring 23 is acounterbalance spring for counterbalancing the weight of the panelsection supported by the regulator arm 19.

Each gear sector 15 and 18 is arranged to be driven in window loweringor raising directions by a drive pinion 26 of a reduction gear unit 27and 28, respectively. As best viewed in FIG. 3, the mounting plate 11 isformed with offset portions 29 providing a lateral aperture 31 throughwhich the toothed perimeters 32 and 33 of the respective gear sectors 15and 18 project to mesh with the drive pinions 26.

Each reduction gear unit 27 or 28 is driven by an independent electricmotor (not visible) housed in a common casing 34. The casing 34 is shownstrapped by a metal band 35 to a bracket or extension plate 36 extendingangularily from one end 37 of the mounting plate 11. The motors arepositioned in parallel relationship within the common casing 34 and haveparallel output shafts to which drive cables 38 and 39 are coupled at41.

The regulator mounting plate has side flanges 42 and end flanges 43forming a tray-like member receiving the reduction gear units 27-28, thecounterbalance 3 spring 23 and part of the drive cables 38-39 againstthe inner face 44 of the plate II. The opposite or exposed face 45 hasin proximity the superposed gear sectors -18 and their respectiveregulator arms 16-19.

In FIG. 1 both regulator arms are shown in their up position, i.e., in aposition corresponding to the raised position of the window panelsections. During lowering movement of the window panel sections, thearms swing in opposite directions about the pivot axis defined by thepivot shaft 12. That is, arm 16 swings in a counterclockwise directionand arm 19 swings in a clockwise direction. The reverse occurs onraising movement of the window section panels. The regulator arms 16-19extend laterally of the side flange 43 of the mounting plate during thepermitted range of movement in the window panel section lowering andraising directions.

As described above, the window regulator mechanism 10 provides a dualfunction, power operated, window regulator mechanism constructed andarranged to be operable to move either section of divided window panelin lowered or raised direction independently of each other.

It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the exactconstruction illustrated and described above, but that various changesand modifications may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A window regulator mechanism for raising and lowering adjacentmovable sections of a divided window panel,

the window regulator mechanism comprising:

an elongated mounting plate,

a pair of gear sectors rotatably superposed on a common pivot shaftjournalled in the mounting plate intermediate the ends of the latter, I

each gear sector having a regulator arm fixed thereto adapted to becoupled to one of the window panel sections.

independent reduction gear units located at opposite ends of themounting plate, each coupled to a respective gear sector,

the reduction gear units being mounted on one face of the mounting plateand the gear sectors driven thereby being proximate to the oppositeface,

the reduction gear units each having a drive pinion projecting throughan aperture in the plate to mesh with a respective gear sector,

a drive cable means coupled to each reduction gear unit,

and an electric drive motor coupled to each drive cable means,

the drive motors being positioned in parallel relationship within acommon casing carried on a support bracket attached to one end of themounting plate,

the drive cables extending from parallel output shafts at the same endsof the drive motors to the reduction gear units,

the drive motors being independently operable to rotate the gear sectorsto swing the regulator arms independently in window panel sectionlowering or raising directions' 2. A window regulator mechanismaccording to claim I, in which:

the regulator arms extend laterally of opposite sides of the mountingplate and swing in opposite directions of rotation about the pivot shaftto lower or raise a respective window panel section.

1. A window regulator mechanism for raising and lowering adjacentmovable sections of a divided window panel, the window regulatormechanism comprising: an elongated mounting plate, a pair of gearsectors rotatably superposed on a common pivot shaft journalled in themounting plate intermediate the ends of the latter, each gear sectorhaving a regulator arm fixed thereto adapted to be coupled to one of thewindow panel sections, independent reduction gear units located atopposite ends of the mounting plate, each coupled to a respective gearsector, the reduction gear units being mounted on one face of themounting plate and the gear sectors driven thereby being proximate tothe opposite face, the reduction gear units each having a drive pinionprojecting through an aperture in the plate to mesh with a respectivegear sector, a drive cable means coupled to each reduction gear unit,and an electric drive motor coupled to each drive cable means, the drivemotors being positioned in parallel relationship within a common casingcarried on a support bracket attached to one end of the mounting plate,the drive cables extending from parallel output shafts at the same endsof the drive motors to the reduction gear units, the drive motors beingindependently operable to rotate the gear sectors to swing the regulatorarms independently in window panel section lowering or raisingdirections.
 2. A window regulator mechanism according to claim 1, inwhich: the regulator arms extend laterally of opposite sides of themounting plate and swing in opposite directions of rotation about thepivot shaft to lower or raise a respective window panel section.